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H.R. 8363 116th Congress House

Protecting Our Democracy Act

Official title: To protect our democracy by preventing abuses of presidential power, restoring checks and balances and accountability and transparency in government, and defen… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To protect our democracy by preventing abuses of presidential power, restoring checks and balances and accountability and transparency in government, and defending elections against foreign interference, and for other purposes.

Introduced: September 29, 2020 Introduced by: Adam B. Schiff Democratic · California See on congress.gov
Government Operations and Politics Administrative law and regulatory proceduresAppropriationsBudget processCentral Intelligence Agency (CIA)
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Civil actions and liabilityCongressional electionsCongressional oversightCongressional-executive branch relationsCriminal investigation, prosecution, interrogationCriminal procedure and sentencingDefense spendingDepartment of DefenseDepartment of JusticeDirector of National IntelligenceElections, voting, political campaign regulationEmployment discrimination and employee rightsEvidence and witnessesExecutive agency funding and structureFederal officialsFraud offenses and financial crimesGovernment employee pay, benefits, personnel managementGovernment ethics and transparency, public corruptionGovernment information and archivesGovernment studies and investigationsIntelligence activities, surveillance, classified informationJudgesJudicial procedure and administrationLabor standardsLawyers and legal servicesLegal fees and court costsLegislative rules and procedureMerit Systems Protection BoardMilitary operations and strategyNational Security AgencyOffice of Government EthicsPolitical advertisingPolitical parties and affiliationPresidents and presidential powers, Vice PresidentsPublic participation and lobbyingResearch administration and fundingRight of privacySubversive activitiesSupreme CourtTariffsWar and emergency powers
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This bill died when the 116th Congress ended
It never became law before the 116th Congress (2019–2020) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Sep 23, 2020
Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, the Budget, Transportation and Infrastructure, Rules, Foreign Affairs, Ways and Means, Intelligence (Permanent Select), and House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Sep 23, 2020
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
Sep 23, 2020
Introduced in House
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 Latest action September 23, 2020

Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, the Budget, Transportation and Infrastructure, Rules, Foreign Affairs, Ways and Means, Intelligence (Permanent Select), and House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Protecting Our Democracy Act

This bill addresses issues involving (1) abuses of presidential power; (2) checks and balances, accountability, and transparency; and (3) foreign interference in elections.

Specifically, regarding abuses of presidential power, the bill

  • requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the President to submit to Congress specified materials relating to certain pardons;
  • prohibits self-pardons by the President;
  • suspends the statute of limitations for any federal offense committed by a sitting President or Vice President;
  • prohibits the acceptance of foreign or domestic emoluments, authorizes civil actions by Congress concerning foreign emoluments, and requires the President to make certain disclosures; and
  • sets forth provisions regarding enforcement authority of the Office of Government Ethics and Office of Special Counsel jurisdiction.

To address checks and balances, accountability, and transparency, the bill, among other things

  • authorizes specified actions to enforce congressional subpoenas,
  • requires appropriations to be made available for obligation in a timely manner,
  • imposes limits on presidential declarations of emergencies,
  • requires DOJ to maintain a log of communications between it and the White House regarding certain investigations,
  • requires cause for removal of inspectors general,
  • increases whistleblower protections,
  • reauthorizes the Merit Systems Protection Board, and
  • establishes penalties for political appointees who engage in prohibited political activities.

To protect against foreign interference in elections, the bill

  • requires federal campaign reporting of foreign contacts,
  • requires federal campaigns to establish a foreign contacts compliance policy, and
  • specifies that foreign donations to political campaigns and candidates of nonpublic information relating to a candidate are prohibited.
 Related & companion bills 15
  • HR 1064 To amend title 5, United States Code, to allow whistleblowers to disclose information to certain recipients.
  • HR 1847 Inspector General Protection Act
  • HR 2678 No President is Above the Law Act of 2020
  • HR 3395 Prohibiting Foreign Election Assistance Act of 2019
  • HR 6984 Inspector General Independence Act
  • HR 7694 Abuse of the Pardon Prevention Act
  • HR 7864 Merit Systems Protection Board Empowerment Act of 2020
  • HR 7935 Whistleblower Protection Improvement Act of 2020
  • HR 8335 Congressional Subpoena Compliance and Enforcement Act of 2020
  • S 4279 REIGN Act of 2020
Show all 15 related billsShow fewer related bills
  • S 4880 Protecting Our Democracy Act
  • HR 6689 Accountability for Acting Officials Act
  • S 2242 Foreign Influence Reporting in Elections Act
  • S 2413 Trade Certainty Act of 2019
  • S 3889 Congressional Power of the Purse Act
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 10
 Cosponsors 92
All 92 Democratic 65
D
Huffman, Jared
California · Dec 15, 2020
 D
Aguilar, Pete
California · Nov 16, 2020
 D
Bonamici, Suzanne
Oregon · Nov 16, 2020
 D
Frankel, Lois
Florida · Nov 16, 2020
Phillips, Dean
· Nov 16, 2020
 D
Beatty, Joyce
Ohio · Oct 9, 2020
Blumenauer, Earl
· Oct 9, 2020
 D
Brownley, Julia
California · Oct 9, 2020
 D
DelBene, Suzan K.
Washington · Oct 9, 2020
Demings, Val
· Oct 9, 2020
 D
DeSaulnier, Mark
California · Oct 9, 2020
 D
Evans, Dwight
Pennsylvania · Oct 9, 2020
 D
Foster, Bill
Illinois · Oct 9, 2020
 D
Johnson, Henry C. "Hank"
Georgia · Oct 9, 2020
 D
Larsen, Rick
Washington · Oct 9, 2020
 D
Moulton, Seth
Massachusetts · Oct 9, 2020
 D
Neguse, Joe
Colorado · Oct 9, 2020
 D
Schakowsky, Janice D.
Illinois · Oct 9, 2020
Shalala, Donna
· Oct 9, 2020
 D
Veasey, Marc A.
Texas · Oct 9, 2020
 D
Bera, Ami
California · Sep 29, 2020
 D
Beyer, Donald S.
Virginia · Sep 29, 2020
 D
Carson, André
Indiana · Sep 29, 2020
 D
Case, Ed
Hawaii · Sep 29, 2020
 D
Casten, Sean
Illinois · Sep 29, 2020
 D
Castro, Joaquin
Texas · Sep 29, 2020
Cicilline, David
· Sep 29, 2020
COOPER, JAMES
· Sep 29, 2020
 D
Courtney, Joe
Connecticut · Sep 29, 2020
Cox, TJ
· Sep 29, 2020
 D
Crow, Jason
Colorado · Sep 29, 2020
 D
Cuellar, Henry
Texas · Sep 29, 2020
 D
DeGette, Diana
Colorado · Sep 29, 2020
 D
DeLauro, Rosa L.
Connecticut · Sep 29, 2020
 D
Escobar, Veronica
Texas · Sep 29, 2020
Eshoo, Anna
· Sep 29, 2020
 D
Espaillat, Adriano
New York · Sep 29, 2020
 D
Garamendi, John
California · Sep 29, 2020
 D
Garcia, Sylvia R.
Texas · Sep 29, 2020
Haaland, Debra
· Sep 29, 2020
 D
Hayes, Jahana
Connecticut · Sep 29, 2020
Heck, Denny
· Sep 29, 2020
 D
Himes, James A.
Connecticut · Sep 29, 2020
 D
Kaptur, Marcy
Ohio · Sep 29, 2020
Kilmer, Derek
· Sep 29, 2020
 D
Larson, John B.
Connecticut · Sep 29, 2020
Lawrence, Brenda
· Sep 29, 2020
Lowenthal, Alan
· Sep 29, 2020
 D
Luján, Ben Ray
New Mexico · Sep 29, 2020
 D
Lynch, Stephen F.
Massachusetts · Sep 29, 2020
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 8363: Protecting Our Democracy Act. 116th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-8363/
MLA
"H.R. 8363: Protecting Our Democracy Act." 116th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-8363/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 8363, 116th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-8363/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 8363: Protecting Our Democracy Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HR-8363/)
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